Diriyah: Diriyah Art Futures (DAF), the MENA region's first New Media Arts centre, has announced a call for applications for the third cycle of its Emerging New Media Artists programme, set to launch in October 2026.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the programme is developed in partnership with Le Fresnoy - Studio National des Arts Contemporains in France and supported by the Museums Commission. It offers a one-year access to cutting-edge professional equipment and facilities, a production budget, and personal mentorship from prominent international digital and new media artists. Since its launch in November 2024, the programme has supported emerging artists from across the region and internationally, providing a platform for the next generation of new media practitioners to develop ambitious new works. The programme has featured strong representation from Saudi Arabia and the MENA region, reflecting DAF's commitment to amplifying regional voices in global conversations around art, science, and technology.
The programme begins with three months of thematic and conceptual exploration of cutting-edge topics, presented by artists and theorists through seminars, lectures, screenings, and workshops. Participants will then work under the mentorship of leading artists and scholars to produce new artworks using DAF's world-class facilities, which include advanced audio-visual techniques, immersive reality, coding, sensing, machine learning, and spatial audio-visual environments. The final works will be exhibited at DAF as a curated and juried outcome of the programme.
DAF is now taking applications for the 2026/2027 Emerging New Media Artists programme. The application deadline is May 31, 2026. Applicants should be 35 years or younger, at the graduate or postgraduate completion stage, and have experience in developing and creating New Media and Digital Art. Candidates can find more information, selection criteria, and apply to the programme at https://engage.moc.gov.sa/reg_forms/tracks/250/?lang=en.